Billboard



April 3, 1928. A1,665,142

` M. c. MERKER BILLBOARD v Filed May zo. 1924 S'Sheets-Sheet l N w--P s y 1 N N l le `V W,

' @e s mi o 51mm@ www@ arar' @2514, LUMQJSLQDDQ/ ao?. n my.

April 3, 1928.

M. c. MERKER BILLBOARD Filed M ay 20. 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Manie Myer/Yer Patentedfplz, 1928.4

.lAppiivcatio'n iiie'diiiiay '29;

lThis, inventionfrelatesdto billboardsV and parl'ieiilarly to 'the construction of frame vand Y .fsumorts for tlie-Fsame. f'

i y .almost iiniversally erected has come tobe of astaiidardized size o'tWehty-ve feet 'length by 'eleven' feet iii height. VTWith thisv great size to'support and thevprese'nt -method'or i #support-5 "it' vhas 'becor'xie neeess'ai'y to 'build -yleiy fsubstziiitial fSdppOrts Iand to place braces *at 'the reaif t0"lio"ldfthe -bo-ardrigidly in place There is greatob'jeetion to these kbillboards nat the p'resetf'tiin'e'due to the fact that the tiek lbila'e'es'are very v unsightly andv also to f lthe Y'faet that the'lbaelcbraces become loose ami-permit eiielbiiibomis i@ iiiii, g

The primary Object si this inventan' is to prov-ide animprovedbillboard frame and siip'p'o'rt's lrforfth'e'fsainje.

v"vide 'a "frame yforfisupportiiig a billboard V-W-hich Wil'l be adjustably 'supported 'atV oi-.ier seither was fwjliii, if@ a;

whose skilled in er@ reading 'of the specification, bejapp'arent to 145 Fig 1s va. Cros-S section of 'thevlowe'rfsup-l ber 120,V l

1.1924. y'serial Nn. 714,585. 7 l

Fig( 4511 is afeross sectional vView vv'oiith'e l f n g Y i ,'FigflQ vis 'a .detail eross 'sectional"lvi'ew` the herein'*illustrated embodiment fofiiiy l. vinveziitionjl; have showritwovo'f these'masts'.r

:of the tubular -iiie'iiiber '20*and La counter*L l {bore-d `hole larger than fthe sizeofthetiibii'` lar iiiiember' 21..-jTlie tivo boriiigsfa-re:Cone-1 `eentric. Thetwo tubular 'meinbersymayhave v Otherlobjeetsrof this inVeIitiO'nare tov-proT n '..Refferrihg to' the dra-Whig VWhere .I have' l y 'the tubular membersi ljsasuiiieientspace n Thesame refereneeiehara'eters refer to the same aiidsiiiii'lar 'parte-throii-ghoutthe sev- 1 l eralyiews.. g '-j- Themaiiisiipp'orting iiieiiibers'o the frame lConsi-st .of masts 2O "which are preferably* tubular i'i'idieat'ed by. the 'sectional "views-1"r the-tubiilariiiember Qliis a means for'hold' v"'i) fingthetwdtubular members 20 an df2l, ifolge'ther.- Tliisyiiieans, in the embodiiiientillustrated,"comprises a'V `castihg-221hafx'7 i ng @a y shoulder 23bet'weer'i a bored hold-fthe; size side diameterjslightlyflessthaii the'inside' Yof the diameter of thegtubiilar'member'fQL j; 'At vthe `upper end of' the 'cafst'infgQQ ifs colito ail-low for tightening; Thesejiiiembers2li` `aire held together by suitable lbolts by.`

conical faees 26 which --areVeoiiipleinentary l sidsof the. 'ea-Sting 22 'areA lugs v2Thaving- 15 ing upon the direction of the :adjustment of nel? barsj 321' which are securely fastened tol thechannel. bar. 31. 1

Extending through Y `the outer; channel bars 32 .and the outerfends for' the. channel` V.bar 3l,` are openings throughvlwhichwthe 4hooked `:Vends '.33ct the brace bars28 arev *'passed.

It will thus be clear that by Y ad-y i justing thenutsat the upper ends ofthe the channel bars'31', relative to the tubular members 2l, may be changed. AsV the chan- ;nel bars 3l support the l.tubular members respective brace bars 2S,v the angularity V:of

"21, 2O andl the other parts of the frame and the billboard, it isclear that thebillboa-rd Vwill be thrown `forward or `rearward depend the nutsat the top of the-brace rods 28.

fIn-"the embodiment describedin the Vdraw- 1 ingdlthe tubular mast member 2O carries at .20:

its toppamember 34 Awhich may be a castng,fcl1op' forgingor ofany r suitable construction'. Y"This member 34vis in function .a strut and retaining member. On its-under side is a. cylindrical recess in which the tubuflarmast vmember is'V seated asl shownin Fig. 9;. Adjacent vthe front and rear ofthe recess are openings through which Vpass the rods V35, 36 as shown in Fig. '9.2 TheseV rods,

fat their upper ends havelnuts threaded thereon as at37, 38.' At the lower end s of. these 'respective rods'35, 36 are connected vcomplementary rods39, 40.y Therods `and 39' areheldtogether by the clamp V41 kwhile the'rods 36 .andV 40V are held together by Vthe-clamp 42. The lowerends .ofthe :rods-39,40 have respective hooks-43 and 44 whichf are secured in openingsinthe channellw i -By giving initial adjustments by means of.V thei'clal'nps 41,42, the final adjustments may ybemade by the nuts 37, 38, thereby giving thetubular mast a' tendency to rbe sprung, one

sion on the' nuts 37, 38. The .member 34 has`l way or theother, 'depending upon `the ten p through which bolts; 45 are passed to secure the samel to the frame member 446Y which 5I' lravegfouiid, in

practice, convenient to havefof` a two inch Y by 'six inch size-and of wood.

' Adjacent the `lugs through whichf pass Y. the bolts 45, are openings to which-are conf nected the Vside bracerods4, 48 'as by bolt heads or nutsHThe lower ends of the rods 47, 48 are adjustable inval manner to be de,-

Atthe outer endofV the'member l34 .is a

-loop149l as shown in Fig. 10.l This loop `49 has suitable holes'ior` the passage of'the brace rods50, `51, 52 as shown particularly in FigflO.

Secured to the tubular mast member:2

adjacent the bottomof the `billboard`,'isa

strutymember 53j somewhat similar to the. Y. .memberj 34, except that the mast Vpasses therethroughand there are no -openingsfor 'rods 35, 36,47 and 4e (See rige.' rh@ outer end of the strut .member 53 has a lloop' shaped portionsimilar in shape :and func-L tion tothe loop portion 49. Y TheV brace rod i 435 passes through the` opening'of the loop shaped.portion` as'shown in 6. RodsV 50, 5l and 52` are connectedrfto the strut members'53 in' a mannersimilarto the conynection of Athe upper rods 50, land 52 to` i' the strut members 34. yTo the inner side, of.

the strut fmembers53, is attached' avfraineu member whichj I prefer tomalre of wood and which I have designated 54. lThis vmember 54 has; a cutaway portioninaplane with. 'the axes of .the mast and the rod :35. This cut awayportion permits the extension oit the rod 36 between its pointsof connection andA in Y a straight line.l

Between the' wooden frame members 46 and V54 and 1n theksame plane, lare two wooden frame members 55, 56 Whichare attached* to each mast by:supportinembers' shown 9o member 57 and impinges inthe wallv of The outer ends'offthe frame members55,

56 are connected tov attaching member 59 shown in Figures l and 11. Theseattaching `members are bolted to-the members 55 l and "56 and also to the .outsideframe bers 60 at each end.k

At the top of the side secureda top frame member;61 which memvber is also secured to the Woodframe mem- Vber46. At thebottom ofthe side ramemem- Y bers and extending the lengthrof -the bill- ,board isl the bottom frame member 62.1 VIn practice, I'have found aconvenients izefor y the trame -members 54,z 55, 561 to betwo inches by four inches, the framemember ,46,

two inchesby six inchesand theframe mem-v Y frame members 60 is bers 60, 61, 62,-twoV inches by eight inches* 'These frame members 54,:`5`5,56, 60,61 and i 62 are preferably all; made Vof woodv The'.l -Y vbillboard body 65 is secured to the frame members 46,54, 55, 56 y. f

At eachcorner of the'fraine and securing Y i the frame members-60 to th'eframemembers 46, and 54 are holding ,members'63,1 64.

, These members are bolted`in`place amlcai'l'y lugs to which the rods 50 are secured.- VV'The lower members 63 also carrylugs .to which i i are attached the rods 47,148.1Adjustable nuts are placed on the-rods'47, 48 and-5() where they pass through and'v onboth sides of the lugs to which they are attachedf Mid-distant between the; ends of the'frame members 46 and-bolted thereto isa securing vmember 66 shown inFig.`4.. vThis securing'V member is hollow 'at its top. Through-'the wall of the hollowV portionfexitendsA the rod 5.1.7' Y Nuts on bothsides of 4the hollow por tions are'provided toadjust the nuts vin either reef" gaat .direction and,y to provide a looking aneansfor any desiredfadjustedposition;'`

At thefbottmn'L othe' securing-member. 6 6 is .fa socket 'in iwhichfis 'g held the fupright :eX- tending membergf -.v The *lower :end of .this suprightmemberz'( .fits into' asocket of a member 68 somewhat'similar in construe`` 'tionto'the member 66." @neachside of 'the member 68 l1s Lailugv 1n .which are secured,- fon respective sides the rods 47, 48. Nuts 'are threaded 'on the 'rods ongeachside of thelugs to l.provide for Aadj ustment-in either direction landfsecuring'f 4the rods when-adjusted. VvThe upper ends-ot' these rods .asv already indi,- cated, faresecu'red by; heads or nuts inthe openings in the strut'm'enibersflt.

While .the set 'screws ,'59 Aare provided, it iis to vbe understood thatv they =are=not intended Iomitte'd -or rbecome floose, the weight'iwi'll''be.

i eport for the ljower tram'eportions fbeing pro-v l vided by therods 47 and 48,.- :i 'i 1 'adjusting the rods 4?,"48 the sagging. at the middle and sides can `be take'n'up.

Vhentaking up for sagging in the middle,

thesefrodst, 48 V`arie placed under tensioni and the upright member 67 assists in raising the upper end of the billboard. vThe rods 51., 52, 53 at the top and bottom take up for warpage and may bey placed in compression or under tension as desired.

The members 31, 32 may be secured to the earth or a building structure or a foundation in any desired manner. Ulf i While I have-illustrated and described in" Y Y ldetail an embodiment of my invention, I de-y yclaim is 1 l y 2L A billboard supporting frame comprising an upright supporting member', `means -crosswise relative f to the upright member and connected thereto, a plurality of adjusting means connecting opposite sides of the supporting member at diierent heights, with the crosswise means at points distant' from thesupporting member. l c Y v 34A billboard supporting frame comprisf ingan upright supporting member, means crosswise relative to the upright memberand connected theretoa pluralityofpairs of adjusting means connectmg `opposite sides of the supporting member with` the crosswlse ,maV

fing member.' f

g faientbiubearaSuppossggrmme tempie l.

ing upriight supporting member, means 4e'rosswlise'relativef'totheupright"member and connec'tedqtherleto,` apl-ur'ality. of pairs off adjusting means connecting opposite sides-of -the's'upporting member with thefcrosswise n* 'means at'poin'ts vdistant from the supporting '5. billboardl supporting;-t'rame: oom- 'prising Van@uprightI "tubular "supporting meansf,`atelescopic connection to-vary the Ilengthfot' :the supportingfmeans, ai member i surroundingxthe telescopic' connection of the supporting means and in contact;therewith and a 'wedge means or"'fholding"tl1e tele? scopic connections in,` adjusted `relation.

vA :bi'llbolardqframe' comprising two '-upf right supporting Mmembers spaced from'A each other, adjusting lconr'iections@betweeny the supporting members "and a point-,between 'the sameontheftrame and an adjusting con-v nection fbetwe'en the. two supporting mem.-

bers.

other, a plurality of adjusting connections ,between each ofthe supportingmembers A billboard trame comprisingtwoupfright supporting members spaced from each fr vand theframe at points betweenl the'supaV porting lmembers at different vheights andV Y an adjusting connection between the two f supporting `members.

right supporting members spaced from each between each of' thel supporting members and the tramefjat points between the` sup-d` j c j Y y `10on 8." A-billboard Jframe comprising two up- VVother,a'plurality ofadjusting'connections Y porting members at diiijerentlheights, anadjf v justing connection betweenfthe `ftwo, sup-vr porting members and'areinforcing upright i lmember lsecured* adjacent the Connected* l .v

points between the supporting members. -9. A billboardframe comprising alsup porting member', a'strutmember attachedto theframe and extending therefrom `and atl l l distanceffrom aside edge thereof, braced` i away from its point of attachment and .eX- 'Y Y members secured toA 'a portion of thestrut tending on each side and attachedl'toother portions of. the trame.,V

l0. 'A ybillboardtrame comprising a supiA porting member, a strut memberattached to the frame and extendingtherefrom and atV a 1 distance` from`a` side vredge thereoiubrace members lsecured, to a portion of the strut tending Aon each side and'atta'ched `to other portions of the frame, the brace members being provided withrumeans for-placing them "'g 'Y away from'its point of attachment and eX- s under either compression'or. tension. j l1. A` billboard frame comprising struts secured place adjacent they plane of the Y vlbillboard and extending; outwardly therefrom, brace members attached to` the outfrom, brace'members attached tothe outwardly extending` portion of each strut and 'y y `wardly extendingportionof each strut vand A extending to other portions of the frame and loneach side oieach strut andmeans connecting the-outer portions of the strut together and means for placing the brace members andconnecting means under either-tension or compression. w

ralityfof upright supporting members secured thereto, braces extending from and on fopposite sides of the supporting members and connected to portion of the frame lower than the point of attachment of the supporting member and a '-,vertically extending` member connecting the lower' portions of the frame with the upper portions. I

rality of supporting members' secured thereto, braces extending fromiadjacentsupporting memberstoward .each other to1 a lower ing the braces together and connectedto the lframe, other braces Acmnected toV the-sup porting members and-'extending away romf.; cach other and Vconnected -to lower portions j ofthe frame,y l y l jll vA billboard frame comprising a kplurality of supporting members securedthere-v` to, braces extending from adjacent support-1 ing members toward eachV other to ka lower to the frame, other-braces connectedto the i supporting members and extending away 13. A billboardY frame comprlsinga 'plu-Y from each `other yand connected to lowerpor-V point on the fraine-7 aunitary means connectv -pointlon the frame, a unitary means connectmg the braces together andconnected tions of the frame, and strengthening''meansI connected .to the unitary means and extending to and connectedv to upper portions of the frame. e v

, Invtestimony whereof kI hereunto .aflix my signature. f y i Y V"Moyrn o. MERKER., Y 

